Those in attendance could choose to attend one of three prom-themed fashion shows along with a free two-hour self-defense course.

“We’ve wanted to take a self-defense course for a while and this seemed like a really good way to do it,” said Nicole Denney, a junior at Shawnee Mission Northwest High School, as she and her friends waited for the fashion show to begin.

It also gave the girls a chance to get some ideas for this spring’s prom.

“I like prom dresses,” said Lauren Bock, a junior at Shawnee Mission Northwest. “It’s really cool to help support such a great cause.”

All proceeds from the fashion show’s ticket sales will benefit The Ali Kemp Educational Foundation. The foundation was formed shortly after Alexandra “Ali” Kemp was found murdered at a Leawood neighborhood pool in 2002 at the age of 19.

Her parents decided to start the organization just weeks after her death to help give other girls and women in the community the skills to defend themselves if attacked.

“We didn’t want this tragedy to happen to another little girl out there,” Roger Kemp told the audience Sunday.

Ali’s father said that since the organization began, more than 20,000 women have received self-defense training through the foundation.

Sunday’s runway show was one of the ways the organization raises money throughout the year.

“This enables us to go out in the community and give these classes for free,” Kemp said.

It’s a service attendees like Patty Atzmiller appreciate. Atzmiller brought her two grandchildren to the event because she wanted them to learn basic self-defense skills.

“I want my granddaughters safe,” she said. “(I want them) to protect themselves and be able to spot danger.”

She was one of more than 450 people who gathered in a large room at the convention center before one of two self-defense courses was to begin.

The courses were taught by Jill Leiker, an experienced martial-arts expert and recreation specialist for the Johnson County Park and Recreation District.

“When you leave here today I want you to feel that you understand and can perform everything that you learn here today,” she told one group as class began.

As Leiker led the women through a number of boundary-setting and combat techniques, the girls in the room next door had something else on their mind – fashion.

As upbeat music filled the room, models wearing dresses of all sizes, shapes and colors traipsed down the long runway. The models were local students who earned their way onto the runway by selling tickets to the show.

The clothes were provided by Natalie M’s, a dress shop at 12601 Metcalf Avenue, which had the girls model the 2008 Alfred Angelo prom line.

After a lively display of dresses, the show concluded with a video telling the story of Ali Kemp’s murder, comments from Roger Kemp and information about the self-defense courses being offered next door.

Former Blue Valley North Principal Richard Siebs also shared comments from Ali Kemp’s teachers and friends about what they remembered most about the teen.

After the show concluded, Lawrence High School seniors Jade Holmes and Samantha Overfield said they enjoyed the runway show.

“I thought it was really interesting to see all the dresses,” Holmes said.

The girls were also excited to head next door and learn self defense.

“I am pumped,” Overfield said.

Callie Wheeler, a senior at Olathe South High School, modeled Sunday in Ali’s Runway, an annual fashion show/self-defense program at Overland Park Convention Center conducted by The Ali Kemp Educational Foundation. Nearly 300 high school students modeled prom fashions in three shows during the event. The show and defense classes raise money for the foundation, which was started by the Kemp family after their daughter Ali was murdered.


Flanked by a line of attack dummies, Jessica Humphrey (left) and Amanda Brasher, volunteers from Alpha Delta Pi at William Jewell College, listened to instructors Sunday during The Ali Kemp Educational Foundation defense training at Overland Park Convention Center.


Victoria Gaughan, 17, (left) of Olathe and her mom, Iris Gaughan, practiced their self-defense moves Sunday under the wathcful eye of an attack dummy.